How To Build A Catapult

Build the Table-Top Troll Catapult. This is a great little siege engine that really hurls projectiles! You just need some wood, a few screws, a rubber band and a couple of hours. This little catapult really hurls projectiles. And you can really tweak it to be quite a powerful little troll.

This is a tiny replica of the massive siege engines that were used to tear down castle walls in the Middle Ages.

This tutorial on how to build a catapult takes you through all the steps in showing you how to do it. Want to see it in action? Here is a quicktime video of this catapult in action - Table Top Troll Catapult video.

What do you need to build this catapult?

Parts List: You don't need a whole lot of parts or tools to make this catapult and this is just a suggested list and these are the parts I use to make the catapult in this tutorial. You can fudge and replace lots of the parts. If you are creative there is a whole host of parts and things you could use instead of these parts. As you can see though it is pretty basic and you don't need a lot to build a basic catapult.

parts in the picture:

• 3 pieces of wood 12 inches long
• 8 pieces of wood 6 inches long ( two of these pieces have the ends cut at 45 degree angles - I will explain more about these.
• An assortment of small screws and/or nails
• 1 large rubber band or several smaller ones
• 2 eye hooks (to the right of the rubber band
• Some glue (optional but a good idea)
• 1 four inch square piece of cardboard or poster board (This is the basket that your projectile sits in
• 1 metal bar at least 6 inches long, I am using the axle from an old toy car (thats the wheels)

About the metal bar from the axle: This is what I am using but you can use almost anything similar. This is going to be the pivot point for the catapult arm so you need something thin and strong. Here are some suggested things you could use: very firm coathanger wire - the cut off blade of a screwdriver, the metal bar handle from a bucket. Take a look at the close up of the catapult arm pivot on the left. See how it is going to be installed. So think of this and find some kind of metal bar for this. If all else fails you could even use a pencil or a pen. You would just have to drill a hole large enough for it to pass through. I used the axle from a toy car which works perfectly. So you may want to scrounge through your toy box to find one.

That's pretty much everything unless you want to paint and decorate your catapult. So lets start on the tutorial and make one ourselves!

Let's Begin building our Catapult !

Want to Build a Bigger Catapult? I also have this project:

The Backyard OGRE Catapult

This is a powerful two foot long catapult. I have complete instructions and tutorial on how to build it here The OGRE

Like the Ogre Catapult but want to make one a little smaller? This is called
"The Little Ogre" and it was made by a web visitor (John L.) He made it 75% the size of the original Ogre and also added some nice improvements like a better pivot for the swing arm and a locking mechanism to release it with. More information and pics here. The Little Ogre Catapult

New Catapult Project (Jan, 2009) The Torsion Powered Mangonel. A mangonel is a type of catapult that is true to the real catapults they made in the Middle Ages and Medieval Times because they didn't have rubber bands! They used twisted rope for power and this table top Mangonel does the same. It is more historically accurate. It is also easy to build and pretty powerful for such a little catapult. How to build the Torsion Powered Mangonel Catapult

New March, 09: So how far does this torsion catapult fire? I show you by firing it off and use a measuring tape. I also give you tips and tricks for making your catapult even better. This includes a video that shows everything. Firing Off a Catapult

Catapults Submitted by Web Visitors

Here are some catapults built by people who have sent me the pictures.

Here is a terrific little catapult built out of popsicle sticks and a rubber band. If you are looking for a powerful yet easy little catapult to build this one is it. Complete instructions with pictures here: How to build a popsicle stick catapult

Here is an awesome catapult built by Caleb. It has some remarkable distinctions. Check out bigger pictures of this catapult on wheels.

Here is a wonderful catapult built totally out of office supplies! It was made by Brandon N. And he used rubber bands, pencils and a few other things from around the office. It has a range of about 15 feet and that can be extended with the use of more rubber bands. See more pics and see his office supply trebuchet too. The Office Supply Catapult

Can you make one of these catapults? You sure can and here are some pictures submitted by a web visitor who made one! It came out great and he made a modified release mechanism. This was done by Brendan H. (Thanks Brendan!) Brendan's Torsion Powered Catapult (Mangonel) This is based on my Torsion powered Mangonel Catapult project here

This is an awesome little catapult based on my trebuchet plan and with some neat modifications and a spectacular paint job! The spring makes a great alternative to using rubber bands. More pics of this spring catapult here

The Easy catapult. This is a great example of making a catapult without using any nails or glue and creating a neat little catapult to have fun with! The Easy Catapult

The annihilator! This is an eight foot long catapult built by a visitor to my website. He sent me pictures, a video and some tips on how he made this monstrous catapult! You can read learn more about it, see the pictures and watch the video of it launching here: Dr.Catapults Annihilator

BOOKS

Want to build a bigger, better, more powerful or fancier catapult? There are some great books available to you. These books, available at Amazon.com will help take your catapult building to new heights! Pun intended!

Catapult Design, Construction And Competition With the Projectile Throwing Engines of the Ancients

The Art of the Catapult: Build Greek Ballistae, Roman Onagers, English Trebuchets, and More Ancient Artillery - Nice book that shows you how to build ten different catapult projects, moderate wood working and pvc piping kind of stuff. Good book with complete instructions and materials lists.

Buy from Amazon.com: The Art of the Catapult: Build Greek Ballistae, Roman Onagers, English Trebuchets, and More Ancient Artillery

Backyard Ballistics: Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices Want to get a little more creative? This book is off the hook!

Buy From Amazon.com Backyard Ballistics: Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices

Whoosh Boom Splat: The Garage Warrior's Guide to Building Projectile Shooters

These are the homemade machines that you've dreamed of building, from the high-voltage Night Lighter 36 spud gun to the Jam Jar Jet, the Marshmallow Shooter, and the Yagua Blowgun. Including detailed diagrams and supply lists, Gurstelle's simple, step-by-step instructions help workshop warriors at any skill level achieve impressively powerful results.

Adventures from the Technology Underground: Catapults, Pulsejets, Rail Guns, Flamethrowers, Tesla Coils, Air Cannons, and the Garage Warriors Who Love Them

Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things: How to Turn a Penny into a Radio, Make a Flood Alarm with an Aspirin, Change Milk into Plastic, Extract Water and Electricity ... a TV with Your Ring, and Other Amazing Feats

Gonzo Gizmos: Projects & Devices to Channel Your Inner Geek - It's possible to use optics to roast a hot dog without electricity or a stove; to make a simple radio with just an iron, a few basic circuits and three shiny pennies; and to assemble a simple steam-powered boat with a plastic bottle, a candle, copper tubing and a nail. Of course, only die-hard science nerds would attempt these projects.

Kits and More Siege Engine Projects

Another Interesting Project: How to Build a Trebuchet

The Trebuchet was a unique siege engine of the middle ages. It was extraordinarily powerful and was easier for military engineers to build because it used gravity as the energy source. I also have a complete project on how to make the Little Dragon Trebuchet.

Catapults and Siege Engines

The Desktop Onager: An Awesome all Wood and Twine War Machine

This awesome little machine is the perfect desktop item to enforce the peace in your cubicle or dorm room. It really works!
This all wood and twine machine has no metal parts! Find out how the ancients were able to use nothing but wood and ropes to build machines that could hurl heavy stones great distances.
Simple and easy to build. This kit includes everything you need except for glue and a few simple tools like scissors, sandpaper, a file (a utility knife would be helpful too) and about two or three hours of your time from start to finish.
Designed and made in the USA for better quality, better performance!

Ballista Wood Kit Tre'bu'het: (tré-buh-shay) a fifteenth-century military engine used for hurling heavy weapons and rocks. Made from high quality knot free Basswood, this Ballista is a great addition to any homemade artillery collection. Inspired by Alexander the Great's Artillery of the Macedonian Soldiers, this ballistic firing machine is a working model easily assembled from pre-cut and pre-drilled pieces. Includes laser cut plywood wheels. A fun group or family project, once completed you and your friends and family will be experiencing the thrill of flinging projectiles like those medieval machines, but focusing on height, velocity, and distance rather than on knocking down the enemys fortress. For the truely daring, you can alter characteristics of the trebuchet such as the mass of the clay, the string length, or the amount of the counterweight and can see how the results are affected. You will also see these concepts in action: levers, inertia, counterweights, friction, and more. This kit includes all materials for construction -- Size: 11-1/2" long, 9" wide, and 5-1/2" tall. Ages 16 and up, 10-16 with adult supervision.

Working Wood Catapult Diy Kit, 6" X 5" X 10"

Expand your kingdom one cubicle at a time with this working replica of one of the most infamous and powerful siege engines... the catapult. When completed, the catapult can shoot a ball of soft clay more than 15 feet! Lay seige to your entire department with this formidable weapon and mercilessly crush cubicle uprisings. Includes all needed parts and soft modeling clay for projectiles. Requires knife and wood or white glue for assembly

Science Project Experiment Catapult Kit (S.P.E.C.K.)

The Ultimate Science Project Experimenter's Catapult Kit! It's fully adjustable, multi-configurable and repeatable. It's a perfect model for learning the scientific method! All in all, there are more than 400 different configurations and tuning options possible with this kit. Suitable for hundreds of experiments and learning opportunities. The completed frame is 14.5 inches long, 7 inches wide and 11 inches tall. The arm measures 20.25 inches long with multiple axle and power attachment points. This machine can hurl projectiles up to 40 feet, depending on configuration, tuning, and lots of other variables! What you can learn: This kit provides a real world, hands on example of many aspects of basic physics. It exposes the student to concepts of mechanical advantage, levers, gravity and energy, to name a few. It can demonstrate the storage and conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy through levers, and it is equipped with optional wheels, to demonstrate conservation of momentum. All in all, the concepts of efficiency, power and work can be demonstrated and applied. This kit is useful for teaching engineering, science, design of experiments, problem solving and cause-effect relationships. It was designed to get students to think about physics in a real world, tangible context. Theories can be made and tested; this process, and analyzing why the observed results occur can ultimately lead to other, more advanced concepts in physics, mechanics and mathematics. Analyzing the data can make use of statistical methods from basic averages to much more advanced topics if desired. With 18 pages of instructions including assembly of every basic configuration, suggested experiments, tuning guidelines, independent and dependent variables to record and measure, data tables, historical information about trebuchets and catapults, and more, it should be easy to get started with this Ultimate Science Project Kit!

Looking for a great Catapult Game?

Battleground: Crossbows and Catapults War Chest Starter Set

Build your fortress and position your weapons to protect your kingdom. Battleground is the game that puts you in the heart of the battle between knights and orcs. The War Chest unleashes the epic battle right into your home. Includes castles, crossbows, cannons, figures, building bricks and more -- 80 pieces in all ; Read the great reviews about this game.

What good is a catapult if you don't have a castle to attack!

I have another project you might like. It is the Paper Castle and it has everything you could want in a castle making project including all the art work you can download. You just follow the instructions and make it yourself with some glue and cereal boxes. Build a Paper and Cardboard Castle It also has a learning sheet that helps to learn about castles when you are building it.

If you are looking for something easier to make you might want to try my project on making a popsicle stick catapult. Fast, easy and fun project! Goes great with the paper medieval castle. Make a popsicle stick catapult

Storm The Castle Catapult Game - Build a Popsicle stick catapult and hurl paper balls at the castle. How to make the Game and the catapult are here

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Table of Contents for this tutorial

BACK TO THE CATAPULT MAIN PAGE

1. Make the Table Top Troll Catapult Home and materials requred
2. Begin assembly of the sides and base
3. Assemble the catapult firing arm
4. Complete the assemblly and finish by painting
5. Video of this catapult firing
6. Books/Medieval store
7. Free Catapult Plan

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